Michael Force

Marine Mammal and Seabird Observer, Field Biologist

Michael Force is a full-time freelance wildlife technician and marine mammal observer, specialising in the distribution and identification of pelagic birds and marine mammals. In 1974, a commercial pelagic birding trip in the northeast Pacific Ocean ignited a passion for marine mammals and seabirds that lasts until this day. A lifelong resident of British Columbia, he possesses a keen interest in pelagic ecology and natural history, particularly birds, acquired at an early age. After finishing high school, Michael spent eleven years working in the Federal Government before returning to school for a degree in Environmental Geography from the University of British Columbia. Throughout this time, he has worked on a wide variety of wildlife-related projects, both terrestrial and marine based. These include burrow nesting seabird studies, fisheries stock assessment, Antarctic ecosystem surveys and standardised ship-board surveys for marine birds and mammals. He is an accredited Marine Mammal Observer having worked on seismic ships in the northwest Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. His lifelong passion for marine birds and mammals has lead him to the upper Peruvian Amazon, the Mekong River, coastal South Africa, the Chilean fjords and the Seychelles, among many others.

On forty-nine high seas deployments on various research vessels over the last twenty years, Michael has logged more than 2700 days at sea, conducting seabird and marine mammal surveys for a variety of government agencies and NGOs in the Pacific, Indian and southern oceans. He has at-sea experience with 70% of the world’s cetaceans, including a number of cryptic, poorly known species such as beaked whales (10 of the approximately 20 species), and both species of Kogia. Michael is also highly skilled at seabird identification, having seen over 90% of the world’s seabird species, and is extremely familiar with seabird and marine mammal survey methodologies using real-time computerized data entry and edit.

With plenty of time spent at sea, it isn’t surprising that Michael would pick up some experience with biological oceanography such as zooplankton and nekton sampling using mid-water and surface trawls and sample processing. He also spent some sea time collecting, filtering, and analyzing sea water samples and running a thermosalinograph. Furthermore, he has frequently assisted the lead oceanographer and members of the deck crew with instrument pack deployment and recovery. Michael is currently involved in two long-term research projects in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and Antarctica.

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